One of the suspects
The Electoral Commission (EC) has sacked two of its staff and caused their arrest for allegedly tampering with presidential ballot papers in pockets of polling stations in the country.
Incidents of polling officers deliberately detaching President Akufo-Addo’s picture and ballot space from the entire presidential ballots were recorded in Awutu Senya West in the Central Region and Bawku Central in the Upper East region.
The EC’s action was preceded by social media and traditional media reports about some ballot papers not having the full list of presidential candidates.
Some papers had the image of the President removed among other anomalies, according to the reports.
Later, the EC issued a statement revealing the identities of the officers that breached the rules.
They were named as Mary Adatsi with DAJHS, Twimine B110104A in Awutu Senya as her polling station and Ahmed Shafawu of Alhaji Salam Grinding Mill Polling Station in Bawku Central.
The two are currently in police custody and the commission has assured that they will be prosecuted
The statement said “in the case of Bawku Central, only one of such ballots was used. However, in the case of Awutu Senya, none of the ballots were used.”
Although the social media posts sought to create the impression of a widespread incidence of the anomaly, the EC described it in its statement that they were isolated.
“Information reaching the Commission indicates that there have been isolated cases of presidential ballot papers being tampered with in some polling stations in Awutu Senya West and Bawku Central constituencies,” the statement said.
The EC pointed out that it was working with the Ghana Police Service on the matter, having already, as it put it, “removed them from post pending further investigations.”
The Commission has informed the public that the presidential ballot paper for the 2020 General Election has 12 candidates; adding that “for a correctly thumb printed ballot to be considered valid and counted, all the presidential candidates must be on the ballot paper.”
Staff and field officials of the Commission have been entreated by the EC “to let the truth guide them and integrity preserve them as they continue with this important service.”
The Commission also urged agents of political parties and candidates and the public to be vigilant to ensure a free, credible and transparent election.
Vigilance on the part of party agents and others helped a great deal in exposing the manouvres of who did not mean well for the Commission.
By A.R. Gomda